


lessons

by waddiwasiwitch



Series: Moms Made Fullmetal 2020 [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Advice, Family, Gen, Moms Made Fullmetal 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24445246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waddiwasiwitch/pseuds/waddiwasiwitch
Summary: Young Roy is starting piano lessons but he doesn't like the way, the new teacher turns her nose up at his family. Chris has some advice.
Relationships: Chris "Madam Christmas" Mustang & Roy Mustang, Chris "Madam Christmas" Mustang & Vanessa
Series: Moms Made Fullmetal 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767007
Comments: 16
Kudos: 38
Collections: Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Mom's Made Fullmetal
> 
> Day Five (Advice/Comfort/Bedtime story)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy is starting piano lessons and his teacher is a terrible snob. Chris has some advice to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Day Five of Moms Made Fullmetal: Advice

**lessons**

_ Part 1: The New Teacher _

The black-haired boy sat with a glass of lemonade in front of him. He was dressed in his best clothes and his shoes were shining. He pulled at his shirt collar. It was itchy, uncomfortable. 

“Why do I need to dress up?” the boy grumbled. “It’s just a piano lesson, Aunt Chris.”

“Because I said so.” His aunt glared at him. “I want you to make a good impression with your new tutor. It’s not so easy to find a tutor willing to teach you here.”

Roy blinked. “Why? Our piano is a grand piano.”

“It’s not the piano, kid.” She tousled his hair.

Vanessa came out from behind the bar. ”You’re looking very cute, Roy.”

He sat up straighter and puffed out his chest. ”Thanks, Nessa.”

Don’t encourage him,” Chris scolded. ”He’s vain enough.”

”I’m not vain,” the boy protested. Chris went to tousle his hair and he dodged her hand. ”Leave my hair alone.”

There was a knock on the door.

”Is that her? My new teacher?” 

”Most likely.” She turned to the other woman. ”Can you get that?”

“Of course, Madame.”

Roy was feeling excited but a little nervous too. He knew the basics, could play a few tunes on the piano but he wanted to be better. He wanted to make Aunt Chris proud.

Chris fixed her eyes on him again. “Now, Roy-boy, your new tutor is here. Don’t forget to mind your manners.”

The boy nodded. “Ok, Aunt Chris.”

“Why haven’t you taken your hands out of your pockets then?”

He rolled his eyes but obediently took his hands out. If she wanted him to be a gentleman, he was going to prove to her that he was. 

The woman entered the room. Roy stumbled to his feet. She looked around with what Roy suspected was disdain and his stomach plummeted. He was proud of his family, even though it was different. He didn’t like it when people looked down on them. 

Vanessa brought the woman over to the table and introduced her as Emilia Branagh. Chris shook her hand.

Chris gestured towards him. ”Mrs Branagh, this is Roy, my nephew.” 

“Hello young man,” she said.

Roy bowed. “Hello, Ms Branagh.”

”Now, young man, show me what you can do?”

Roy went over to the piano and played a children’s song he had managed to teach himself by ear.

”You’re a little sloppy but it’s good for a beginner. We just need to work on your technique before I start teaching you anything new.”

He nodded eagerly. Thank you, Ma’am. I will work hard.”

  
  
  


The lesson ended an hour later. 

Mrs Branagh looked at him approvingly. ”It’s a lot better already.”

Roy smiled. 

She lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow. “You're a quick study, young man.”

He puffed out his chest. “I am top of my class. Aunt Chris says I can do anything I put my mind to.” He didn’t add the part where she always said pity, it was often mischief. 

“Is that so?” She gave him an appraising look. “A shame for you to grow up in a den of sin like this. You’re a smart boy.”

“Den of sin?” he asked. 

“Never mind, get back to practising.”

He knew she meant something nasty in her words. Her lips twisted and she turned his nose up. Roy didn’t like when people looked down on his family. They might be unusual but they were better than that stuck up cow. Roy had decided he didn’t like the piano teacher very much.

Mrs Branagh got up to leave. ”I’ll see you at the same time next week. Make sure you practice plenty.”

”I will Ma’am.”

Vanessa showed the woman out and Roy went to find his aunt. She was probably in her office. He knocked on the door.

”C’mon in, kiddo. How did your lesson go?”

Roy opened the door and walked inside. ”It was fine but I don’t like her very much.”

Chris looked up from the newspaper she was reading. ”Why’s that?”

”She’s rude,” he said. 

She lifted an eyebrow. 

Roy balled his fists. ”She said this was a den of sin.”

To Roy’s surprise, Chris laughed. He stared at her, his mouth gaping. Why wasn’t she angry? 

”I’ve heard much worse.” She pointed at the chair. ”Close that mouth before you catch flies and sit down.” 

He obeyed.

“Kiddo,” she said. ”We’re not worried about what she thinks and neither should you be.” She closed the newspaper. “Keep your mouth shut and just learn your lessons. The most important thing is that you up here.” She swatted him lightly on the temple with the newspaper. “Nobody can read what’s going on in your head. Let them underestimate us.” 

Roy furrowed his brow. ”I just don’t like hearing people insult my family.”

”You’re a good kid. Now, go and tell Madeline I said you could have something sweet as a reward for your lesson.”

To be continued...


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy is proud of where he comes from, thank you very much. Mrs Branagh is going to hear about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Day 6 of Moms Made Fullmetal: Pride

Part Two: The last Straw

Roy took her words to heart and practised hard in between his lessons. He caught Chris watching him sometimes but she usually looked away. He knew she was proud when she gave him extra helpings of dessert and he always got a treat after his lesson. So when he noticed the way Ms Branagh scrunched her nose when she walked into the bar, he bit down hard on his tongue. He clenched his fists when she turned her nose up at Aunt Chris and his sisters. She thought she was too good for the likes of them. Roy was used to the snide remarks about his heritage or him being an orphan. Being good in school didn't endear him to some of his schoolmates either. They called him a teacher’s pet too. He didn’t care much about being mocked but when it came to his family it was a lot harder to turn his cheek. No matter what his aunt said.

“How did you end up living with your aunt?” Mrs Branagh asked him at the end of his fourth lesson.

“My parents died and I came to live here.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, dear. I suppose you had nowhere else to go.”

“I like it here,” he said tersely. He missed his parents but he was happy here with Chris and the girls. 

The woman shrugged and patted his arm. “I am sure you do but you don’t know any different, do you?”

She smiled in what she probably thought was a kind way but looked patronising from where he was standing. He took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

Flashing his best smile, he said, “I’ll see you next week, Ma’am.” 

She nodded and went over to the bar where Vanessa was waiting with her money. 

“Poor kid,” he heard her say to Vanessa. “This probably wasn’t what his parents had in mind for him.”

Vanessa’s response was cool. “Madame Christmas takes good care of Roy and us girls are very fond of him.”

“I am sure you are but it’s hardly appropriate. You can teach him all you like but he’ll always be the kid from the brothel.”

Roy narrowed his eyes. Did the stupid cow not realise he could hear or did she just think he was stupid?

“Your boss has airs and graces,” she continued, “thinks she can teach him to be a gentleman.”

Roy had tried real hard but that was the last straw. “You’re a horrible woman!” he yelled. “If you think we’re filth then why do you take my aunt’s hard-earned money?”

The woman put her hand to her chest. “Well, I never...”

Vanessa was trying not to laugh.

He stood up straight and looked the woman in the eye. “My aunt is ten times the woman you are!”

“What’s going on in here?” 

Roy turned to see Chris walking the room, nostrils flaring and her hands on her hips. “Why are you raising your voice, Roy-boy?”

Mrs Branagh sniffed. “Your nephew is ill-mannered. I think today will be our last lesson.”

He crossed his arms. “Good.”

Chris glared at him. “Roy Mustang!”

He immediately uncrossed his arms and dipped his head.

Mrs Branagh snorted. “I shouldn’t be surprised given this is how he is being brought up among prostitutes and all sorts of trash. An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree after all.”

He risked a glance.

Chris took the money from Vanessa and put in Mrs Branagh’s hands. “Take this money and then get the hell out of my den of sin! You might catch something.”

Roy dipped his head again and smiled. He was glad Chris couldn’t see it. He knew she was going to yell at him too as soon as the stupid cow was gone. 

“My nephew is smart,” his aunt continued. “He might have a big mouth but I’ve no doubt he’ll do great things. Unlike your own son, who I hear is a chronic gambler.”

“How dare you?”

“I say it as I find it,” Chris said coldly. “I’ll walk you out.”

Roy ventured a glance at his aunt’s back as she walked to the door. For a moment, he contemplated running upstairs to hide in his room but he knew he was putting off the inevitable.

Vanessa caught his eye and gave him a sympathetic smile. ”At least, you won’t have to put up with her any longer.”

”Aunt Chris is going to kill me,” he moaned. 

”I heard that.”

He grimaced at Chris’ voice.

She walked around him. “Follow me, boy.”

Chris didn’t say another word as she walked up the stairs to their private quarters. She pointed to the couch and he sat down meekly. 

“I’m sorry,” he burst out. “She just kept saying horrible things.”

”I’m disappointed in you.” 

His shoulders slumped. “Sorry!” He hated to disappoint her. All he wanted was to make her proud.

“Sometimes, you have to learn to put up with people you don’t like, kiddo. The best revenge is to prove them wrong.“

“I'm going to keep practicing the piano,” he promised. “And I’ll be good at school. Someday, I will come back when I’m an alchemist and show her.”

She seemed like the type that would be scared by alchemy. His lip twitched slightly at the thought of that. 

“It’s ok to stand up for yourself and others but it’s not ok to yell. There’s never an excuse for being rude. Do you hear me, Roy Mustang?” 

”Yes, Ma’am.”

”Good. You’re grounded for a week, kiddo.”

”But-”

”No buts, kid. Get down to the kitchen and ask Madeline if you can help her with lunch.”

”Ok, Aunt Chris.”

She tousled his hair as he left the room, and he knew she wasn’t that mad at him after all.

_ The end _


End file.
